EastEnders’ latest recruit Bonnie Langford has described her character as “quite groovy”.

The former child star recently joined the BBC One soap as divorcee Carmel Kazemi. And while the 50-year-old is looking forward to becoming a soap matriarch, there’s one element of her role that she’s not as keen on.

“Carmel quite likes the idea of family and children but I don’t like the idea of being called Granny,” she told British newspaper The Sun. “No, no, no, let’s not go there! Carmel’s going to be quite groovy. She’d like to be a groovy granny and called something else instead I hope.”

The character comes to Albert Square as her son Kush is engaged to Shabnam Masood. And while the female head of a soap family never normally takes to a son’s wife or girlfriend, Bonnie thinks Carmel will give Shabnam a chance.

“Carmel’s quite a strong woman and a tremendous nurturer. She likes to look after people and be needed. She loves to help. She’s very protective,” she explained. “She’s seen her son go through a dreadful situation where his wife died and she sees the opportunity for him to be happy again and she wants to make sure it goes well.”

But with Shabnam’s father Masood determined to find her secret daughter in Bethnal Green, peace and harmony within the family doesn’t look set to last. Bonnie added that her alter ego is also concerned that devout Muslim Shabnam is not outgoing enough for her boy.

“She wants Kush to be happy so she’s delighted he’s found somebody because she feels very much that he’s burdened with grief. And if Shabnam has made him happy and brought out this openness then she’s happy,” Bonnie said. “But I think she’s concerned that Shabnam is strict, reserved and secretive and she wants Kush to have fun. She is worried he’s connected with somebody whose life isn’t as joyous as she would like.”